Man fined K1,500 for being in possession of live ammunition

Lae District Court has fined a man K1,500 for being in possession of live ammunition without a licence.
Magistrate Jacinta Doa issued Mawo Pendang, of Kabwum’s Umunga village, Morobe, the fine as penalty or three months imprisonment with light labour at Buimo prison in a court hearing this week.
“The nature of your crime is serious, you are not either an ammunition or a gun license holder and yet you are in possession of live ammunition,” she said.
The court noted that Pendang had no prior convictions and had pleaded guilty to the court.
“You are not authorised to have the bullets and to use them to hold up innocent people,” Magistrate Doa said.
“You have asked the court for mercy and had pleaded guilty for the crime so the court will be lenient on you through a fine, learn from it.”
Police alleged that on May 6 at around 8am, Pendang with two others held up a bus at Section 3, Kapiak Street in Lae and demanded money.
Bystanders, who saw what was happening, beat them up and handed them to police.
It was alleged that police searched Pendang and found 5x 9.9mm caliber live bullets on him.